


Rancid Thoughts

by 6Husbandos



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Author projecting onto Viren, M/M, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-09
Updated: 2019-07-09
Packaged: 2020-06-25 11:18:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19744657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/6Husbandos/pseuds/6Husbandos
Summary: People leave...they always do





	Rancid Thoughts

"You are a servant."

Viren's heart shattered. He looked up at the man he loved, shock in his eyes.

"That's all you ever were, and ever have been. Now leave me, Mage."

Viren was shaking, stumbling out of the king's chambers, trying to keep a brave face. He heard the clash of swords, the yelling and screaming of battle. It didn't matter anymore. _He_ never mattered. Not to his wife, not to Katolis, and not to....

Harrow.

He sat on his bed, tears falling from his eyes. Did he matter to anyone?

Viren threw himself into discovering the mysteries of the mirror. Days and nights went by and nothing was working. Claudia would try to get him to sleep, but he was afraid to. Every time he did, the last conversation he had with Harrow would replay over and over.

Viren never slept long.

The true sight serum was his last hope. To finally break the illusion this mirror had upon it. He needed this. To prove that he was capable, that he still mattered.

"Nothing? Nothing. NOTHING! YOU'RE USELESS, POWERLESS! I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO BE SPECIAL, SOMETHING IMPORTANT!" Viren broke down, falling to his knees.

He really didn't matter, did he?

That thought blew all the candles out, leaving him in the dark as he held himself, sobbing quietly.

_"You never do anything right!"_ His wife's words echoed.

_"You're just a servant."_

_"I'm leaving you."_

A soft blue light washed over the room.

Viren shot up, looking at the mirror.

It gazed into a beautiful library, its floor and walls the color of crystals in the sun. A small desk sat to the side. A figure stepped into the room.

Viren wiped his tears away, standing up.

The figure wore a dark cloak with a hood that puddled around his shoulders. White, silky hair cascading down his neck and face, deep purple horns stuck up in curves.

His eyes black with a ring of amber, a face speckled in stars.

Viren couldn't look away. This...being was beautiful. God-like. He touched the mirror, hoping, maybe, just maybe, they might be able to see him.

The figure turned, looking at the mirror. Their head tilted to the side, walking up to the glass.

Viren's eyes widened. Could they see him?

The being looked back over at the fire, opening his hand. The flame shot out of the fireplace and nestled into their hand. They snuffed it without warning. 

"NO! COME BACK!" Viren cried, pounding his fist on the mirror.

A four fingered, star sprayed hand pressed itself against the glass.

Viren gasped, stepping back.

The fireplace sprang back to life. The figure now standing before the mirror. 

They waved.

Viren waved back.

They left the room, coming back with a chest.

"You want me to gather these items? I can do that." 

Viren had drank the strange concoction. "That's....surprisingly not terrible."

The being brandished the dagger. Viren looked over at the one he'd brought with him. He picked it up. The being cut their hand, letting their blood drip into the mortar.

Viren did the same.

"How may I serve you?"

A few weeks had gone by since Viren first met Aaravos, but surprisingly the elf was quite nice company. They had a common interest in many things, eventually leading to Viren opening up about himself, his kids, his life. Aaravos would do the same.

It was nice having someone to talk to again. But the thought always crept into the back of his mind late at night.

**They all leave. So will he. It's just a matter of time. You don't matter to anyone.**

Viren tried his best to push the thoughts away.

One night he finally fell asleep at a reasonable hour.

The expanse before him was dark, a single spotlight shined on him.

**_"You're a servant."_ **

Viren turned. "Harrow?"

**_"You were just a toy I could play with. An object to use."_ **

The words took the form of arrows, piercing his body.

**_"I never loved you. I only felt sorry for you."_ **

Viren turned to the other side. "Marcie?"

**_"So many men to choose from and I chose the most useless one."_ **

The arrows became sharper, their voices becoming louder and louder. Viren holding his hands over his ears as the arrows kept cutting through him. "Stop it....just please..."

**_"You never mattered. You are the reason we never cared about you."_ **

The last arrow hit him between the eyes.

Viren woke screaming and crying. He refused to try to go back to sleep; he got dressed. Walking down into the mirror room. The entire trip he'd been trying to keep it together, but now...

He put his head in his hands, sobbing. He really was the reason they hated him, wasn't he?

Aaravos walked to the mirror, seeing the broken mage in his chair. He walked over to the desk, taking the chair and sliding it up to the mirror, sitting down. He stayed there with him for hours.

Viren sniffled, looking up to find Aaravos in the chair. He jumped in surprise, grabbing the worm from it's bottle.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Aaravos asked, his expression conveyed concern. He saw the mixed emotions in Viren's eyes. Loneliness, hurt, anger, sadness, fear and worry stared back at him.

"I..."

"I am here to help you, Viren. I care about you."

That one phrase sent Viren back into tears. No one had said that to him in so long. "You are my friend. I may not know what is wrong, but I want to help you. Whither we fix it or just find a way to live with it, i want to help." Aaravos stated softly.

"But you'll leave me...they all do. I'm nothing to them, nothing to you." Viren whispered. "I don't matter to anyone."

"That isn't true. You matter to me."

"Only as a way to help you escape."

"Once, you had been. But now..."

Viren sobbed, "See?! That's all I am to anyone! A tool to be used and thrown away!"

"Viren." Aaravos' voice was firm. "You did not let me finish." He breathed deeply.

"I have lied. I don't see you as a friend...."

Viren felt anger rise into his throat.

"But..as a lover."

The anger washed away completely, replaced with hope.

"If...of course you return the feelings."

"I...." He did feel the same, but he was scared. Scared Aaravos would leave too.

"Viren...I may not know what's wrong, but I want to help you. To be with you, to be by your side and comfort you in these times." 

Viren didn't know what to feel, or say, or do.

Why would this beautiful creature fall in love with a broken old man like him? Aaravos didn't deserve something broken, something ugly underneath the glamour he cast everyday. Something that was on the verge of destroying itself?

"Viren...come back to me. Please." Aaravos' voice snapped Viren out of his thoughts. Aaravos' eyes full of care and love.

"I...." Tears fell from Viren's face. "Why do you want something broken? Something used, ugly, and thrown away?" Viren asked.

"Broken? Ugly? Viren....you aren't either of those."

Viren's words, his actions made more sense now. He did not know who hurt him this way, but Aaravos would make them pay. 

"Your mind is lying to you."

"...Then what did I do to make them hate me?"

"You didn't do anything. Deep down, you know that. I know you do." Aaravos cooed. "They made their decisions. Now you need to make yours."

Viren wiped away his tears.

"You either stay in your past dwelling upon the actions of others....or you let go and heal." Aaravos stated softly.

Viren sniffled.

"What do you want to do?"

"I...want to let go. But I don't know how."

"Then I can help you. If you'd let me."

"....I love you, Aara."

Aaravos smiled lovingly. "The road is long and hard, some days may seem like you haven't made any progress, but you have, and will. You got this far, didn't you?"

Viren nodded.

"And that's what really matters."

"...thank you."

"Of course my love. Now, go get some sleep. I'll still be here when you come back."


End file.
